Agreement reached in Cooper Green lawsuit

July 16, 2009 at 1:27 PM CDT - Updated June 16 at 6:14 PM

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - 10th Judicial Circuit Judge Scott Vowell has announced that a temporary agreement has been reached between attorneys for a Cooper Green Hospital patient and the Jefferson County Commission. The patient had filed a lawsuit against the county claiming they illegally took $4.7 million dollars from the county's indigent care fund. The patient wanted the judge to issue a restraining order which would block the commission from closing Cooper Green.

The agreement calls for the county commission to first approach Judge Scott Vowell if they intend to close Cooper Green Hospital. The agreement also states that the indigent care fund must remain fully funded at all times.

Earlier this morning the plaintiff's attorney has agreed that the issue of the 4.7 million dollars that they had originally claimed that was diverted from the indigent fund was no longer an issue. Both sides agree that that $4.7 million dollars was back in it's proper account.

This case can still be opened up at a further date.

Also Thursday, the Jefferson County treasurer joined the plaintiffs in the case. The attorney for Jennifer Parsons Champion says that Champion has not had access to the idigent care fund records, regardless of requests to look into the matter. Champion says that her office has had nothing to do with the diverted funds.